Haymaker reaches new levels

Steamboat Springs  Coming off a strong year financially, the Haymaker Golf Course is planning to maintain current locals rates next year while raising the rates for out-of-towners by about 10 percent.

After enjoying a profitable season due in part to the good weather this summer and hosting a number of tournaments, including the Colorado Mid-Amateur Championship in September, Parks and Recreation Director Chris Wilson said the city's golf course has reached a new level.

"The course is now of the quality and caliber based on our market research that we felt it was appropriate to raise the non-resident fees at this time and that we could hold the resident fee at its present level," Wilson said.

Out-of-towners will have to shell out $79 for 18 holes of golf at the course in 2001, whereas the cost was $69 this year. For nine holes and off-season play, the cost will come to $54, up from $49. Those costs include range fees.

Locals will still pay $39 for 18 holes and $24 for 9 holes. Season passes for locals will also remain at 2000 levels.

"We will review this coming year and check back with those fees in 2002," Wilson said.

Preliminary revenue figures indicate that the course took in $1,110,983 this year as compared to $1,016,094 last year, said John Vanderbloemen, the chairman of the Golf Committee. Vanderbloemen said he is still updating the figures before the committee makes a presentation to City Council early next year.

Course revenue includes season passes and punch cards as well as daily playing fees, driving range fees, range balls and rental carts.

Haymaker's net gain in 1999 came out to $40,817 in the final budget tally. This year's revenues, when fully calculated, are expected to substantially eclipse last year's due to the strength of the season.

Tourist play, for instance, increased by 1,246 rounds from 1999 to 2000.

Any revenues over budget go into a reserve fund that is used to pay for improvements to the golf course. Most notably, that money will be used to fund a new clubhouse to replace the modular building that now houses the clubhouse.

Haymaker is still paying off the debt on the bonds that initially financed the construction of the course. That debt is financed by a city accommodation tax on lodging, which is dedicated to funding capital projects that benefit tourism.